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New Orleans - Baton Rouge - New Orleans, LA November 5-10, 2024
The annual college football trip brought us to Baton Rouge, LA this year to see the mighty Crimson Tide from Alabama face off in Death Valley against the LSU Tigers. We had heard the tailgate experience was one of the best and that the atmosphere of the Tiger fans is off the charts. Well, it was both. Unfortunately, the Tigers got routed pretty quickly and the atmosphere, outside of the introductions and the first few plays, was soured pretty quickly. That and there was some rain, lots of it at times. It was still a pretty great trip with lots of memories. Bookended with 2 nights prior in New Orleans and a night after, with a few nights in Baton Rouge sandwiched in. As I write this now in January, I am pretty saddened about the occurences in New Orleans on Bourbon Street. We were there, 2 months earlier, on that same stretch at the same time of evening. Upsetting and disheartening and my heart goes out to all the beautiful people who lost their lives in such a senseless act. NOLA will recover as it has in the past, and I will sure to be back because of Frenchman Street, because of the 2nd Line, because of Mother's, The Blue Nile, Louis Armstrong Park, Tipitina's, Le Bon Temps Roule, Hansen's Sno-Bliz, Lil' Dizzys Cafe, The Carousel Bar, and I could go on.....Some outstanding meals and always great music and people, this trip brought me to places I haven't been before in New Orleans. My main partner in crime, who's always up for an adventure and tackling all the best of the best, experienced with me so many highlights, but the number 1 was to come, we hoped. We hit the city hard for 2 days and then rolled into BR. After the LSU game on Saturday night, we decided to take the 2 hr drive back to NO to catch the Saints game on Sunday - a great game that didn't mean much for either them or the Falcons. The Superdome has some history too, so much fun to be inside the vast space - electric at times. We had number 1 highlight in our minds to catch the end of the 2nd line, run every Sunday from October to April - this is THE event if you are interesting at all. We found the parade route and walked and walked and walked until we got to an intersection that had a planned stop. No parade, we were disheartened. So much walking, so much anticipation, and it seems we missed it, until we peer down a side street and some guys were cooking up some bbq in their barrel. "What you got cookin'?" we asked. "Got some chicken and burnt ends for the parade" he responded. "I thought the parade was over?" I queried, "Nope, just delayed". Smiles, ear to ear and about 10 minutes later, we see the commotion, we hear the commotion, we feel the commotion. In fact you could smell it too and once it reached us we then spent the next 2 miles walking, listening, and feeling the buzz that remains with me to this day. This is THE event. I video call the Mrs. and my daughter, you have to be here/hear to believe it. The raw emotion, the pure energy, the main release that so many people have after a week of battling whatever they do, and the unadulterated complete fun. Have I mentioned that this is THE event? Elvis sings Walk A Mile In My Shoes, I wish you could have all walked 10 miles in my shoes that day. I can't do it any more justice by describing it, you have to indulge yourself in it. Anyhoo, after that, we were pooped and couldn't get in much more that day - however, we did manage to sneak in a walking tour of the graffiti and street art the next morning before our flight with a great guide who we met at second line. Almost forgot that we also caught a Pelicans game the first night, and got in for 2 bucks! Check out our seats below. Nothing more to say other than if you want to experience a Tiger game and New Orleans proper, you won't get much sleep.
SET UP
A few different scenarios here, the first 2 nights in NOLA was at an old familiar place Sonder, a VRBO/Airbnb/rental accommodation. Stayed with them before in other cities and I do really love them. They have great properties, generally in heart of the city centers and spacious and clean and relatively better pricing than a hotel room. I recommend booking direct through them as opposed to the other apps that their properties dhow up on. I booked a 4 bedroom place but we had 2 last minute cancellations so just me and my compadre. All 4 bedrooms have a queen bed. A private house was booked for us in Baton Rouge, and I ended up with the master as I am the master and glad I did, got a good story about this one in the mattress section below. The final night in NO took my compadre and I to the Troubadour - a Hilton property and we Bert and Ernie'd it. Both queen beds. Not sure who Bert or Ernie is yet, but we can both probably pass for them both! Sharing a hotel room with anyone but your family at this point in my life is always a bit suspect, even though we are long time pals and know each other well - you never know. Worked out great. Come to think of it - we had this scenario on the Lake Erie Loop - check it here if you like. https://www.bedsplus.ca/post/lake-erie-loop
MATTRESS
At the Sonder, they had what is becoming old and familiar, the bed in a box foam mattress, which was comfortable. As previously noted, in our time in Nashville, Sonder is a company from Montreal and they use another Canadian company to supply them with their mattresses. Not overly firm, it's an inexpensive way to outfit your rentals. I am not staying here for the mattress, rather locations and convenience. These particular mattresses were passable and not much to mention. At the house in BR, I was poking around when getting settled and noticed a remote beside the bed - I felt right at home as I thought it was an adjustable bed. Well, it wasn't, but it was a Sleep Number! These are the air beds that you can individually adjust on each side for comfort, firmer, plusher whatever you like. Of course, I've known about these beds for 15 years or so but in Canada they never took off and I had never slept on one until now. My grandfather, who made beds of coil and steel, would probably be rolling in his grave if he saw all of this foam and air business, but I was pleasantly surprised. The mattress itself consists of an inner air bladder surrounded by layers of foam. I will say that the particular model I was on, wasn't very comfortable, the foam had deteriorated a bit and was a bit loose, not holding it's shape, but the ability to adjust the softness is a great addition and salvaged the 2 nights. I would bet that the more up to date models are a lot more comfortable with the upgrades in foam these days. I can't say for sure how old this model was, but certainly not within the last 5 years. Well done owners of the air bnb and I now know finally what my sleep number is! Do you know yours? The Hilton gave me more of the traditional feel with a Simmons Beautyrest. Most of the hotels these days are using a full zipper cover for bed bugs and sanitary reasons which I do love and appreciate, but makes it a pain to take pictures! So you have to trust me when I tell you that is was a decent bed for a decent hotel chain.
SLEEP
Look, there is not much of it on these trips. Late nights, lots of adult beverages, kickoff times to make, places to see, things to do. I am lucky that I can sleep well in most places I go, but let's be honest, as you can tell from above, this was no vacation. This trip was hard work!
OVERALL
A tremendous city to visit, New Orleans, one of the best, and even though there was not much happening in Baton Rouge, outside of football, the whole experience was top shelf. Every kind of music, food, person, and drink maginable and of course always fried chicken available at 3 am. Kudos to the our organizers as always and they are so good that we already have our trip for next year planned - stay tuned in for the Athens, GA post - home of the Georgia Bulldogs! 🏈🌧🍤🍗🐄🍸😊🏈
GREAT RELATED LINKS
https://snobliz.square.site/ ask for the flavour that Mary liked
https://www.atchafalayarestaurant.com/ get the shrimp and grits
Geaux Tiger!
Soul Rebels at Le Bon Temps Roule
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